Senator Ron Wyden has introduced the 'Wireless Device Independence Act' a bill that if passed will make cell phone unlocking legal, reports The Hill.
The move comes just one day after the White House and the FCC came out in support of making cell phone unlocking legal in response to a petition that garnered 114,000 signatures. Since 2006, The Library of Congress had issued an exemption to the Digital Millennium Copyright Act that allowed for cell phone unlocking; however, it decided not to extend that exemption past January, 2013.
Senate Judiciary Committee Chairman Patrick Leahy said, "I intend to work in a bipartisan, bicameral fashion to restore users’ ability to unlock their phones and provide them with the choice and freedom that we have all come to expect in the digital era."
Sen. Amy Klobuchar who chairs the Judiciary Committee's Subcommittee on Antitrust, Competition Policy and Consumer Rights, said she also plans to introduce her own bill this week.
“Consumers should be free to choose the phone and service that best fits their needs and their budgets," Klobuchar said.
Rep. Jason Chaffetz also recently tweeted that he is working on cellphone unlocking legislation. "You own the phone, you should be able to unlock it," he wrote.
All consumers should be thankful to those who took the time the sign petition as it appears to have made a significant impact.
Read More [via Ron]
The move comes just one day after the White House and the FCC came out in support of making cell phone unlocking legal in response to a petition that garnered 114,000 signatures. Since 2006, The Library of Congress had issued an exemption to the Digital Millennium Copyright Act that allowed for cell phone unlocking; however, it decided not to extend that exemption past January, 2013.
Senate Judiciary Committee Chairman Patrick Leahy said, "I intend to work in a bipartisan, bicameral fashion to restore users’ ability to unlock their phones and provide them with the choice and freedom that we have all come to expect in the digital era."
Sen. Amy Klobuchar who chairs the Judiciary Committee's Subcommittee on Antitrust, Competition Policy and Consumer Rights, said she also plans to introduce her own bill this week.
“Consumers should be free to choose the phone and service that best fits their needs and their budgets," Klobuchar said.
Rep. Jason Chaffetz also recently tweeted that he is working on cellphone unlocking legislation. "You own the phone, you should be able to unlock it," he wrote.
All consumers should be thankful to those who took the time the sign petition as it appears to have made a significant impact.
Read More [via Ron]